


A Growing Family

by cerezsis



Series: A Growing Family AU [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baby, Childbirth, Coparenting, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kuvira will show up in chapter 2, Let Toph Say Fuck, Morning Sickness, Nausea, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pregnancy, Swearing, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26286895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerezsis/pseuds/cerezsis
Summary: When the Avatar discovers she’s pregnant, everyone celebrates. When a prisoner on trial for crimes against humanity discovers she’s pregnant, there’s no celebration.
Relationships: Baatar Jr./Kuvira (Avatar), Bolin & Mako (Avatar), Korra & Kuvira (Avatar), Korra & Mako (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Mako & Asami Sato, Suyin Beifong & Kuvira, past korra/mako
Series: A Growing Family AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909948
Comments: 48
Kudos: 156





	1. Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

> This AU has been in my head for years, but the resurgence of the Avatar fandom has inspired me to finally write it! Hope you enjoy.

The car came to a halt as the young engineer put it in park. Taking the keys out of ignition, she glanced over at her passenger. Korra had barely said a word since she picked her up from the ferry docks, and had been slouched in her seat with her eyes closed for the last several blocks. Even for someone who was known to have claimed that the morning was evil, this was unusual for her.

“Hey, are you ok?” Asami asked, “You haven’t said a word the entire drive.”

Korra slowly peeked her eyes open, seeing her girlfriend’s worried face. She sat up straight, though her movements were very sluggish.

“I’ve been better,” she admitted, “I started not feeling good last night, and I didn’t get much sleep.”

Asami’s face fell in sympathy. “What doesn’t feel good?”

“My stomach, mostly. I couldn’t even eat breakfast.”

Reaching over, Asami put a hand on Korra’s shoulder, giving her a comforting smile. “Just hang in there, alright? We’ll only be here an hour or two. After we’re done, I’ll take you back to the island and make you a pot of tea. Sound good?”

Korra mustered a smile. “You’re the best.”

After a quick peck on the cheek, the two women got out of the car and walked into city hall. The overall tone of the building already felt different now that Zhu Li was in office. From the new décor, to the much less tense demeanor in the staff, it was definitely a much-needed improvement.

Despite all this, Korra was growing more and more convinced that she should’ve stayed home. Her stomach was in knots and she was _so_ tired. All she could think about was going back to bed. After greeting Zhu Li, she and Asami followed her up to her office, where Korra immediately sat down on one of the empty couches. Thankfully, since this meeting was mostly regarding the new housing project, she wouldn’t have to be too involved.

Still, it felt like an eternity before things wrapped up. As Asami rolled up the last of her blueprints and thanked Zhu Li for her help, Korra stood up, all too eager to get back to Air Temple Island. Before she could take a step or even utter a word, she found herself clouded by an overwhelming dizziness. The next thing she knew, the world went black and she could hear Asami cry out her name. The blackness lasted only a second, but it was long enough for her to come to barely standing, supported only by her girlfriend’s arms.

“I’ll fetch a medic!” Zhu Li offered, urgently.

Still mostly relying on Asami for support, Korra tried to wave her off. “No, no, it’s fine,” she said, her words slightly slurred, “I stood up too fast. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine!” Asami insisted, “You’ve been sick since last night, and you just fainted! You need to get checked out!”

Korra let out a quiet sigh. She knew she couldn’t let Asami worry. “Fine.”

As Zhu Li left to fetch a medic, Asami helped Korra back onto the couch. The Avatar rested her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder, quietly hoping the visit with the medic would be quick. Her bed was calling out to her.

Thankfully, it was only a few minutes before the lone medic entered the room. She smiled at the women before greeting them, and soon started bending water from her pouch, using the now glowing liquid to examine Korra.

“Well, you’re a little dehydrated. I recommend resting for the rest of the day, and drinking plenty of fluids,” she said as she returned the water to her pouch, “Other than that, there’s nothing to fret over. You and the baby are both fine.”

Korra’s eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up straight. Had she heard right? She could feel Asami’s posture stiffen as well, and she didn’t need to look at her to know she was staring at her with a mix of confusion and heartbreak.

“Me and the _what now?_ ” she blurted out.

The medic’s expression dropped.

“Oh, you didn’t… Forgive me Avatar Korra, I thought you knew. You’re somewhere between ten and twelve weeks along.”

Hearing this, Asami instantly relaxed. However far along Korra was, it was longer than they’ve been together.

Korra, on the other hand, was practically shaking. Her heart felt like it was about to pound out of her chest. Whatever tiredness she’d felt was long forgotten, replaced with disbelief and the buzzing of a million questions racing through her head.

“How… No. No, that’s impossible!” she insisted, “I can’t _have_ kids! The poison made me infertile!”

“I assure you, it’s possible. You’re definitely pregnant.” Seeing Korra’s expression unchanged, the medic thought of something. “You’re a healer, correct? You can check for yourself.”

For a moment, Korra found herself unable to move. Eventually, she stood up and bent some water out of the medic’s pouch. Bending it around her pelvic area, she concentrated, and soon she found it. It was tiny, barely even the size of a fig, but it was there. Her baby…

Hands shaking, Korra bent the water back into the pouch, just barely managing to not let it splash onto the floor. Without saying a word, she sat back down next to Asami, her hands clasped over her nose and mouth. She couldn’t believe it. She really was pregnant.

The next half hour was a blur. She remembered getting in the car, and from there getting on a ferry to Air Temple Island, but the details were lost to her. She couldn’t even remember if Asami spoke to her or not.

Before she could even really register it, Korra found herself sitting at the small table in the kitchen, while Asami made some tea. Eventually, she decided she couldn’t put it off forever, and looked over at Asami.

“Are you mad?” she asked, unsure if she was prepared for the answer.

Asami looked to her, surprised. “What? No, of course I’m not mad. It happened _before_ we started dating, so there’s nothing to be mad about.”

Korra let out sigh, instantly relieved. Taking the kettle off the stove, Asami began to pour two cups of tea.

“Though… I _am_ confused,” the non-bender admitted, “You’re three months pregnant and you had no idea?”

Korra shook her head. “I’ve never been the most… regular person, but since the poisoning, my periods have been… _really_ out of whack,” she explained, “The whole six months I was traveling alone, I didn’t get my period _once._ ”

Asami stared at her for a moment. “You, uh… you should probably see a doctor about that. I know certain contraceptives can help regulate your cycle.”

“Thanks, I’ll get right on that as soon as this baby pops out,” Korra said with a hint of sarcasm.

Taking that as her cue to be done with the subject, Asami walked over with the cups of tea. She handed one to Korra, then sat down across from her with her own cup.

“So… can I ask who the father is?”

Korra’s body stiffened and her cheeks turned red. She found herself unable to look Asami in the eye.

“Don’t be mad, ok?”

“I promise I won’t be. Just tell me.”

Korra hesitated for a moment. “It’s… it’s Mako.”

Before she could stop herself, a fairly loud chuckle escaped Asami’s lips. Realizing that wasn’t at all an appropriate reaction, she clasped her hand over her mouth.

“I’m sorry, that’s not funny.”

Relaxing a bit, Korra gave her a small smile. “Eh, it’s a little funny.”

Asami relaxed too and smiled back at her. “So… is it ok if I ask… when did it…?”

“The night I confronted Zaheer,” Korra admitted, “Mako offered to get us dinner, we went back to his place, and things just kinda… happened.”

Asami nodded. She thought back to a certain night three years ago, thinking how she would’ve likely done the same if he hadn’t gotten arrested just moments after she arrived at his apartment.

“I probably should’ve asked this first, but… how do you feel about this? Are you…” she trailed off.

Korra glanced down at her still steaming cup of tea, thinking long and hard about the question. “I feel… shocked… scared… but, also weirdly happy.” Having said it, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “It would’ve been nice to have some time to plan for this, but I’m so, so happy. I wanna keep it. I wanna have this baby!” She glanced back up at Asami, and her smile instantly faded.

“I know this changes things for us. If you don’t wanna stick around, I understand. You didn’t sign up for a baby.”

Asami didn’t respond right away. After a moment, she stood up and went to her girlfriend’s side, taking hold of her hands.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she assured her, “I love you, Korra. You and everything that comes with you.” She paused and placed her hand on Korra’s belly. “We’ll raise this baby together.”

Korra could barely hold back her tears of joy. She placed her hand over Asami’s before standing up as well. The two of them embraced, holding each other close.

“You really are the best,” Korra said.

They continued to hug for a while, but after a moment, Korra suddenly stiffened.

“Oh boy. I’m gonna have to tell Mako.”

They pulled away from the hug, but Asami still held Korra’s hands.

“You want me to be there when you tell him?”

“Yes, please.”

\--

The café was abuzz with the morning rush. The bells on the door chimed as Mako came in, looking around. He had no idea why Korra and Asami wanted to talk to him alone, but the tone of Korra’s voice on the phone the night before had him worried.

Finally, he spotted them, already seated at a table near the back. The café was already crowded enough that no one would notice them, but the location of the table would give them a little extra privacy. Making his way over, he sat down across from them.

“Hey Mako,” Korra greeted with a nervous smile.

“Hey,” Mako said to the both of them, “You finally gonna tell me what’s up?”

Korra tapped her fingers against the table, constantly glancing towards Asami, but struggling to meet Mako in the eye. She didn’t think she’d be _this_ nervous.

“Ok, um… I’m pregnant,” she admitted, figuring it best to just blurt it out, “It’s your baby. I’m keeping it, and Asami and I are gonna raise it. You’re free to be as involved as you wanna be, I just thought you should know.”

Mako blinked. There seemed to be a delay between Korra saying the words and his mind understanding it. Once he finally did, his face went pale. Breaking out in a cold sweat, he found himself unable to speak.

“You alright there, Mako?” Korra asked, genuinely concerned.

The firebender stayed silent. His eyes were as wide as the café’s teacups.

“I… I gotta…” he stuttered, before awkwardly standing and stumbling out of the café in a half-dazed state. Korra and Asami looked at each other, sharing looks of non-amusement.

“Well, that was about what I expected,” Korra said.

\--

The stairs creaked as Bolin made his way up to the apartment, a slight pep in his step. He couldn’t wait to tell Mako about his first day at his new job. He was already certain his found his new calling.

Unlocking the door, he stepped inside and flipped on the light switch. As the lights turned on, Bolin jumped as he spotted a shell-shocked looking man sitting on the couch, slouched forward with both hands clasped together in front of his face. Realizing it was only Mako, Bolin released his fighting stance and raised an eyebrow at his brother.

“Uh… you good over there?” he asked.

Mako didn’t answer right away, his eyes still staring straight ahead.

“I’m going to be a father,” he blurted out.

“Whoa!” Bolin excitedly exclaimed. He shut the door behind him and sat down next to Mako, wrapping an arm around him. “Congratulations, bro! That’s awesome! Who’s the lucky lady?”

Again, Mako hesitated.

“Korra,” he sheepishly admitted.

Bolin’s expression dropped and he raised an eyebrow.

“Korra? But… but she’s dating Asami?”

“It… happened before that,” Mako explained, unclasping his hands and running his fingers through his hair, “She… said she and Asami are gonna raise it… and I can be as involved as I want.”

Bolin perked up again. “So, _are_ you gonna be involved?”

Mako looked at him for the first time since he got home. “I… haven’t thought about it yet,” he admitted, “Should I even be? After everything that happened between me, and Korra and Asami… would that make things too awkward?”

Bolin frowned. “But what about the baby? Don’t you think it’ll wanna know its dad at some point?”

Mako sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s true…”

“Just forget about Korra and Asami for a minute. You’re gonna be a _dad!_ There’s gonna be a _baby!_ That’s exciting! You could have a strapping little boy or a cute little girl! Just imagine that!”

Mako thought for a moment. Then another. Eventually, he relaxed a bit and even cracked a slight smile.

“A strapping little boy or a cute little girl,” he thought out loud, “Yeah… Yeah, I guess that is exciting.”

As his nerves faded and his mind began to clear, a thought occurred to him. Suddenly, he shot up from the couch, a wave of panic crashing over him.

“Crap, I left them at the café!”

\--

“How’s the letter coming along?” Asami asked, walking over to Korra, and putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I keep having to start over,” Korra admitted, “I know my parents will be happy, but I wanna find the _right_ way to tell them.”

Before Asami could respond, the phone rang. Taking her hand off Korra’s shoulder, she walked the few steps towards the phone and answered it.

“Avatar Korra’s room, Asami speaking.” She listened for a moment before handing the phone out to Korra. “It’s Mako.”

Putting her pen down, Korra got up and took the phone from Asami.

“Hey Mako. You doing better?”

“Yeah. I… I’m so sorry about earlier. I don’t know what I was thinking just leaving you there. I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah, but don’t worry about it,” Korra assured him, “We know you pretty well. We knew you’d come around.” She paused for a moment. “So… have you thought about it at all, or do you need more time?”

“I’ve thought about it. Of course I wanna be involved! I know we have a… complicated history, but I wanna know my kid.”

Korra smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.” She paused again. “So… Asami found me a doctor. I have an appointment tomorrow to check to make sure everything’s going ok. If you want, you could come with us.”

“Yes, of course!”

“Great. I’ll hand you back to Asami. She knows where the place is.”

\--

The waiting room was uncomfortably quiet. Sitting in the seat between Mako and Asami, Korra alternated between twiddling her thumbs and mindlessly flipping through magazines. Every once in a while, she wondered if the press would already be speculating by the time she got out of there; it wasn’t every day she openly walked into an obstetrician’s office with her girlfriend and ex-boyfriend. The thought was nerve wracking, but it was somehow easier to think about than the awkward silence that was currently happening between the three of them.

Finally, Korra’s name was called. She stood up, Mako and Asami following behind her, and they were shown to a room. Once the nurse left, they were met with more waiting, only it somehow seemed _more_ awkward. At least in the waiting room there were other patients and magazines to be distracted by. Now with just the three of them, the silence was so much worse.

Thankfully, they weren’t left in that silence for long. Less than ten minutes after being shown to the room, the doctor walked in, greeting all three of them.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Yuzuki,” she said, grinning politely. She then walked over to Korra, extending her arm towards her. Korra did her best to smile back, and shook her hand.

“So, your chart says you’re between ten and twelve weeks. Is that correct?”

“That’s what I was told,” Korra said.

“Great. Since you’re a new patient, we just need to check some basic things, and then we can try to pinpoint your exact due date.”

For the next fifteen minutes, Mako and Asami stayed silent while Dr. Yuzuki took Korra’s vitals. While doing do, she asked her the standard questions of when her last period was, what her diet and exercise routine was like, if she’d experienced and cramping or spotting, etc.

“Now what I’m going to have you do is lie on your back and lift your shirt,” the doctor said as she wrote the last bit of the basic questionnaire on Korra’s chart. She then gestured towards Mako and Asami. “You’ll wanna come here. This is the exciting part.”

As Asami and Mako stood up from their chairs, Korra did as she was told, lying down on the table, and exposing her belly. Meanwhile, Dr. Yuzuki took out a probe-like scanning device, attached to a small monitor and speaker.

“This is called a fetal doppler,” she explained, “It will allow us to hear the baby’s heartbeat.”

Korra looked towards Mako and Asami, all three of them having a mix of nervousness and excitement. Once the device was set up, the doctor spread a goo-like gel on Korra’s lower abdomen and started moving the probe in small circles below her navel.

“It can take a couple minutes to locate the baby’s exact position. Don’t be worried if we can’t find the heartbeat right away.”

The three twenty-somethings listened intensely to the sounds given off by the fetal doppler. Despite the doctor’s assurance, Korra grew anxious as the minutes ticked by with only soft, mechanical whirring sounds. Sensing her anxiety – and maybe feeling some of her own – Asami reached out and held Korra’s hand.

Suddenly, the soft whirring was replaced with a strong, fast-paced thumping sound. Korra’s eyes widened as she began to register what she was hearing.

“That’s the heartbeat,” the doctor confirmed.

The parents-to-be listened closely, mesmerized by the sound. Asami gave Korra’s hand a gentle squeeze, just beaming at her. Korra herself nearly teared up. She never thought she’d have a child of her own, let alone hear its heartbeat. Mako stood beside them in awe, trying to memorize the pattern of the fast-paced thumps. It was in that moment that it seemed to click for all three of them. This was real. This was happening.

And it was wonderful.


	2. One Month Earlier...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuvira doesn't feel well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains descriptions of nausea and vomiting. Tread cautiously if you are triggered by either.

Kuvira sat on her knees in her prison cell, curled into a ball with her arms wrapped around her stomach, and her eyes tightly closed. It had been an hour since the guards brought her dinner, but it still sat, untouched, a foot or two away from her. She could’ve been served the finest dishes, meals fit for kings and queens, and she still wouldn’t have eaten. If even a grain of rice touched her lips, she was certain she would vomit.

Desperately hoping to ward off the nausea, she tried to take slow, deep breaths, but the horrid smell of the over-roasted pig-chicken was making things worse. She never minded the smell before, but whoever oversaw the cooking of the prison meals had a knack for making food smell disgusting.

Finally, as her mouth filled with saliva and she felt something rise in her throat, Kuvira quickly realized there was no fighting it. Hurriedly leaning over on all fours, she vomited on the metal platform that bound her chains to the ground, heaving until all the contents of her stomach were expelled.

Gasping for air, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she turned away from the sick as much as her chains would allow. She thought about kicking her dinner tray over to the other side of her green-tinted cell – the smells it emitted leaving her at risk for vomiting again – but the lone dinner roll that sat in the corner would likely be what counted as her dinner, when her stomach settled later. Hugging her legs, she rested her damp forehead on her knees and tried again to focus on her breathing.

At this point, Kuvira was fairly convinced the guards were poisoning her. Every evening, without fail, she fell overwhelmingly nauseous, though tonight was one of the rare instances where she actually threw up. It would be so easy – _too_ easy – for a cook or a guard to slip something into her breakfast or lunch, leaving her sick by dinner. It had been happening constantly for over a month now, so–

Suddenly, Kuvira’s eyes snapped open. Was she certain she had that right? She did some quick mental math, only to realize, yes, she’d been in prison for nearly two months. Her heart starting to race, she did some more mental math, trying to remember when her last period was. Sure enough, it was at least a month before she surrendered to the Avatar.

A soul-crushing weight began to cave in on Kuvira’s chest. Nausea, smells that never used to bother her now unbearable, missed periods; it was obvious. It was so obvious.

Kuvira found herself unable to breathe. _No_ , she thought, _No, this can’t be happening. Not here, not now!_

Tears began to sting in her eyes. She didn’t cry when her parents abandoned her at Zaofu. She didn’t cry when she had to sacrifice her own fiancé for the sake of the Earth Empire. She didn’t cry when she was thrown in prison, stripped of her power and everything she spent the last three years working towards. But now, _now_ she was crying. Hysterically crying. She didn’t care if the guards heard, or what they’d think. Later she’d convince herself that it was just the hormones already getting to her, but right now she needed this cry.

This was horrible. This was so, so horrible. How could the universe be so cruel? A few months ago, this would’ve been cause for great celebration – the Great Uniter pregnant with her first child – but now… now…

It’ll be taken from her the moment it’s born. She knows this. Those in charge would have to be crazy to let a child grow up in a prison cell. The thought twisted her heart and made her cry harder. Another tale of separation. Another child left without a mother…

Would it even have a father? Would Baatar want it? Would _any_ of the Beifongs accept it into the family? Would _anyone_ love this child in her absence, or would it grow up unwanted and unloved, just like its mother?

She had no idea how long she cried, just that she was exhausted when it was over. She was so drained, both physically and mentally, that all she could do was slump to the ground, the cold platinum that surrounded her offering no comfort. Her eyes locked straight ahead, she noticed the faux stone that lined the wall was damaged. A small piece had broken off, revealing the dried adhesive that once held it to the platinum wall, and leaving a dark void in between the faux stone.


	3. The Empire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuvira is still hiding her pregnancy when she and Korra agree to an allyship to dismantle what remains of the Earth Empire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: If you haven’t read Ruins of the Empire, this will contain MAJOR spoilers. 
> 
> WARNING: This chapter contains descriptions of nausea and mentions of miscarriage. Tread cautiously if you are triggered by either.

“By executive order of President Zhu Li Moon, this special tribunal is now in session,” the head judge said to the crowded courtroom.

Standing before the five judges, and with the sea of glaring eyes staring at her, Kuvira listened as she read off the charges: crimes against peace, refusing to turn over emergency powers, inhumane prison camps, invading the United Republic, and use of weapons of mass destruction. Any one of these was grounds enough for life imprisonment, Kuvira knew this. She’d agreed when she surrendered to stand trial for her crimes, but things were different now. Now there was another life to think about; the life that was still growing inside her.

For the first week or two after she made the realization, she honestly prayed for a miscarriage – perhaps never existing at all would be better than whatever future lies ahead for her child. But now, _now_ she knew she had to fight. She owed the child that much; a chance to show she loved it enough to fight for it.

“How do you plead?” the judge finally asked.

Kuvira looked the judge in the eye. No one yet knew of her precious secret, and she was determined to keep it that way for as long as possible. Now wasn’t the time for the world to know.

“I am sorry for the harm I caused to the people of the Earth Kingdom and this city, I truly am,” Kuvira began, “But this tribunal seems all too eager to list my offenses without giving any consideration to my achievements.”

The judge raised an eyebrow, already unconvinced. “Please, enlighten us.”

“After the fall of the Earth Queen, the kingdom fell into chaos. When no one was willing to step up, I brought back order. I dragged an ancient culture out of the dark ages and modernized it. Everything I did, I did for the greater good of the Earth Kingdom and its citizens.”

“How do you plead?” the judge asked again.

Kuvira looked to her with determination. “Not guilty.”

\--

“ _Not_ guilty?” an all too familiar voice said as the White Lotus guards lead Kuvira down the hall, “The whole world knows what you did, Kuvira!”

Kuvira didn’t reply, or even look back. She didn’t need a lecture from Su, but the metalbender wasn’t about to take her silence for an answer.

“What are you trying to prove?” Suyin demanded as she darted in front of Kuvira and the guards, stopping them in their tracks.

Again, Kuvira didn’t answer, opting instead to turn her head away from the older woman.

“Don’t turn your back on me!”

Hearing that, Kuvira found herself unable to hold her tongue. “I know I hurt you and your family, but you all turned your backs on me long before the Earth Empire even existed.”

_Just like I know you’ll turn your backs on my child,_ she thought quietly to herself.

“That’s a _lie!”_ Su insisted, “I gave you a home! I provided for you!”

“But I was never truly part of your family, was I?”

\--

Korra sat down on the couch next to Asami, resting her head against the non-bender’s shoulder. It was only the beginning of the week, and it was already so hectic. First there was King Wu’s return to Republic City, then Kuvira’s trial, and now she just learned she and the others needed to report to city hall in the morning for a meeting with Zhu Li and the king. On top of all that, she was still in the process of moving her things into Asami’s place. As if just being pregnant wasn’t tiring enough.

Without really thinking about it, Korra glanced down at the book Asami was reading. Seeing the now familiar words and pictures, she looked up at her girlfriend with an amused smirk.

“That’s, what, the _eighth_ parenting book you’ve bought?”

Asami tore her eyes away from the book, a slight blush creeping across her face as she met Korra’s eyes. “Well, we _are_ about to be parents,” she coly tried to justify.

“Yeah, but you’re acting like there’s a test you have to pass, or something. _Mako_ hasn’t even bought this many baby books.”

Blushing harder, Asami’s eyes fell back to the book, though she certainly wasn’t reading the words. “It’s easy for you to say. You’re so great with kids. We all know _you’re_ gonna be an amazing mom, but I… You’ve seen me with kids. I’ve never even _held_ a baby before.”

Korra’s smile softened, and she gently wrapped her arms around Asami. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’re gonna be a great mom, too.”

Asami glanced back up at her. “What makes you so sure about that?”

“Because _this_ baby –” She took one of Asami’s hands and placed it on her belly. “– is _your_ baby. It’s different when it’s your baby. Plus, you’re the most caring, generous person I’ve ever met. I _know_ you’re going to love this baby, just like I know you’re going to be an _amazing_ mom.”

Asami smiled, feeling some of the weight being lifted from her shoulders. “Thanks, Korra.” She leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss of the forehead.

\--

Korra rode up to the prison on Naga. She had only just learned of a yet to be disbanded group of Earth Empire soldiers, right outside of the city-state of Gaoling. Since Gaoling was about to hold its first election, this would likely lead to trouble. A plan had been made between her, King Wu, and the others, but before that could be put in motion, there was one piece of business she needed to take care of.

“I’m here to see Kuvira,” she said to the guards as she hopped off Naga.

“Of course, Avatar Korra.”

They opened the doors, and the Avatar stepped inside. She immediately saw Kuvira, sitting on her knees, chained to a platinum platform.

“Hello, Kuvira.”

The prisoner looked up at her. “I had a feeling you were going to be my first visitor.” She glanced the Avatar up and down. “I heard the guards talking. I suppose a congratulations is in order.”

“I’m not here about that. I need you to tell me about Commander Guan.”

\--

Korra said she didn’t need Kuvira’s help, that she could handle Guan on her own. Kuvira said she would need her, and that she’d be waiting for when she changed her mind.

And she did. Still chained and surrounded by guards, Kuvira watched as the airship began its decent on the prison grounds. Avatar Korra quickly stepped out, handing some documents over to the guards.

“Here’s President Moon’s release order. I’ll take the prisoner from here.”

Kuvira could’ve laughed as Korra lead her inside the airship. “The prisoner? No need to be so formal, we’re partners now.”

Korra stopped and sharply turned towards Kuvira. “We might be working together, but we are _not_ teammates. If you step out of line, or do anything to harm my friends, I won’t hesitate to take you down. Do we have an understanding?”

Kuvira grinned. “Of course. You’re in charge.”

\--

The flight to Gaoling was to take three days. It hadn’t even been eight hours since Kuvira boarded the airship, and the tension given off by her so-called companions was thick enough to cut with a knife. The group spoke only to each other, barely sparing her a glance, which is how no one noticed how quiet and pale she grew. Her daily bout of nausea had arrived right on cue.

She leaned back against the couch, trying to do her usual deep breathing. The motion of the airship certainly wasn’t helping things.

Finally, she stood up. “Is there a restroom I could use?” she asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Korra looked over at her, surprised as she finally noticed her paleness and the small beads of sweat on her forehead.

“I’ll show you where it is,” she offered.

Kuvira nodded in thanks and followed Korra up the nearby steps. They soon stopped in front of a well decorated doorframe.

“I’ll be waiting right outside, so don’t think of trying anything,” the Avatar warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Immediately, she hurried to the toilet. She wasn’t yet sure if she would vomit, but she was just glad to be given the dignity of being sick in a bathroom.

She had no idea how long she’d been in there. She dry-heaved plenty, but eventually she accepted that nothing was coming up tonight. Trying to calm herself, she turned on the sink and splashed cold water onto her face.

_How long are you gonna make me sick, kid?_ She quietly thought.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

“You alright, Kuvira?” Korra asked, genuine concern in her voice, “You’ve been in there a while.”

Turning the water off, Kuvira grabbed a nearby towel and dried her face. She took a few breaths to center herself before opening the door.

“I’m fine,” she said, hoping she at least appeared put together, “It seems my time in prison has made my body forget how to handle an airship ride.”

Korra raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t sure how true that was, Kuvira could see this, but she also couldn’t find any reason to doubt her.

“Come on, we better get back to the others.”

\--

“I can’t tell you how good it feels to be out of those shackles,” Kuvira said as she pinned her hair back.

They had finally arrived at Gaoling. Korra and Wu went to meet with the mayor, while Asami, Mako, and Bolin stayed behind to keep an eye on Kuvira. Asami had been kind enough to lend her some clothes – she needed to look presentable in case the commander showed up – and stood guard in the bathroom while she changed, while the two men waited outside.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Asami coldly replied, “You’ll be back in them soon enough.”

Ignoring that, Kuvira glanced at her from the mirror.

“It must be challenging being the Avatar’s girlfriend,” she said.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you could be back in Republic City running your business or inventing another awesome piece of machinery. Instead, you’re stuck here in a bathroom, guarding me.” She paused as she finished with her hair. “You’re even committed to raising a child that’s not yours. Not many people would even take on _that_ much.”

Asami’s eyes narrowed. “It _is_ my child,” she said, making sure Kuvira could see her electric glove, “And I’m exactly where I want to be – protecting Korra and _our_ baby from you.”

Kuvira looked at her, but only half listened to the rest of her words. _That child is very lucky,_ she thought to herself.

\--

As it turned out, Guan’s plan wasn’t to _stop_ the Gaoling election. No, instead he was planning to _take part_ in it. Kuvira had been wrong about being able to talk him down, and after narrowly stopping her from choking him to death, Korra and the others had her locked in a platinum pod, and decided to stow her to Zaofu for the time being.

With that decided, Korra and Wu set off on their own to the Foggy Bottom Swamp. If they wanted to stop Guan from stealing the election, they needed to find a candidate that was sure to beat him, and Korra knew just the person. All they had to do now was convince her to do it.

“What do you want, Korra?” Toph asked, her back turned to her as she bent hot coals into the fire.

“Can’t an old friend pop by to say hello?”

“Cut the crap. I know you didn’t drag the Earth King and your pregnant ass all the way out here to experience my delightful company. Spill it.”

Korra blinked as she watched Toph plop herself down on a log by the fire.

“How did you –”

“Oh, come on! That baby of yours is more than big enough for me to see. Hell, I could tell you the gender if you wanted.”

“I’m not here for a gender reveal,” Korra said as she sat down next to her, “I assume you heard that Kuvira and her army surrendered in Republic City?”

\--

The day had gone wrong almost as soon and Korra and Wu left. Guan’s army attacked the ship. Asami, Mako, Bolin, and Wu’s guardsmen were captured and brainwashed before Kuvira’s very eyes. Having narrowly escaped the same fate, Kuvira sat alone in the mountains, constantly checking that no one was coming, and contemplating her options.

The chance to run was tempting; find a remote location where no one would recognize her and raise her child in peace. Somehow, though, she found herself unable to do it. The situation in Gaoling was _her_ mess to clean up, and if Guan’s plan worked – if the Earth Empire rose again – then her child would never be truly safe.

“You were there for me once,” Kuvira quietly said, eyeing the radio sitting on the car’s passenger seat, “I only hope you’ll be there for me again.”

Taking a deep breath, she stood up and walked to the car. Turning the radio’s dials, it took a moment before she finally got the signal to the Beifong estate.

“This is Suyin speaking,” the woman’s voice said, having answered the call.

“Su, it’s Kuvira.”

“Kuvira?” Su paused, before coming back with suspicion and anger in her voice. “What’s going on? Asami said she was bringing you to Zaofu. Where are you?”

“Still in Gaoling. We never left.”

“What did you do to Asami and the others?” Su demanded.

“Nothing!” Kuvira paused and took a breath. “Commander Guan and his rebels attacked the airship before we got off the ground and took a bunch of us captive. Asami, Bolin, and Mako have been _brainwashed!_ I managed to escape, but –”

She was cut off by an outraged Su. “ _Brainwashed?_ You expect me to believe that?”

“I’m telling the truth!” Kuvira insisted, “Korra and King Wu are off trying to find your mother, and I’m out here all alone. I know you have every reason to hate me, but I didn’t know who else to turn to. Please, I need your help.”

She paused, a lump suddenly in her throat. This was it. The time had come to reveal her secret. “If not for me, then please… do it for your grandchild.”

Su didn’t respond right away.

“… What?” she asked, more confused than anything.

Kuvira took another breath. “… I’m pregnant.”

\--

Korra, Wu, and Toph rode Naga out of Goaling. Toph was on the ballot, but they weren’t out of the woods yet. The streets were lined with Guan supporters. They needed to get to the airfield to talk to the others about their next move.

As they ventured further outside the city, they were greeted not by an airship, but a frantic fire ferret.

“Pabu?” Korra wondered aloud as the critter scurried onto her lap, “Why aren’t you with Bolin?”

Hearing something off in the distance, Korra looked up. An Earth Empire vehicle was headed right towards them.

“Uh oh. We’ve got trouble.”

She and Toph got off Naga, walking a few steps closer to the vehicle in preparation for confrontation.

The car stopped in its tracks, and the woman driving it spoke. “You need to follow me.”

Korra’s eyes narrowed at the masked driver. “I’m not going anywhere with one of Guan’s lackies.”

“I’m no lacky.” She took her helmet off, revealing her face.

“Kuvira?!” Korra’s stomach dropped as a dreaded realization hit. “Where are Asami, Mako, and Bolin!?”

“I’ll explain everything, but we need to get off the road before someone spots us,” Kuvira pleaded as she got out of the car, “Guan’s at the airfield waiting to ambush you, and –”

Korra didn’t wait for her to finish. Hot furry running through her veins, she surrounded Kuvira with a ring of fire.

“I warned you that if you hurt my friends, I would take you down!”

“I didn’t harm them, I swear!”

“So, where are they? And why are you in that uniform?”

“Guan and his soldiers waited until you left and attacked the airship,” Kuvira explained, “He took us back to some makeshift lab, then brainwashed your friends. I tried to stop him, but–”

“Don’t lie to me!” Korra snapped.

“I’m not!” She looked to the old, blind woman in the Avatar’s company. “Toph, tell her!”

Without saying a word, Toph stepped forward. Not even a minute passed before she turned towards Korra.

“Yup, she’s telling the truth.”

“She is?” Korra asked, extinguishing her fire in shock.

“How do you know for sure?” Wu asked as he climbed off Naga.

“She’s a truth seer,” Kuvira explained.

Toph nodded in confirmation, before turning back towards Kuvira. “The truth isn’t _all_ I see.”

The younger metalbender’s stomached dropped. She knew. _Of course_ she knew…

\--

They had just narrowly escaped Gaoling. Su and the metal clan showed up just in the nick of time, but Guan’s troops captured Wu. Korra managed to grab Asami, but was unable to save Mako and Bolin. It broke her heart to have to leave them behind, just as it broke her heart to lock her brainwashed girlfriend into one of the platinum suits.

“I’m sorry I have to do this, Asami,” she said, the airship well on its way out of Gaoling, “And I’m sorry about what Guan did to you.”

“Don’t pretend to care about me,” Asami spat, “You’re the _enemy._ ”

Korra’s heart sank further. “You don’t know what you’re saying, Asami. You don’t mean it.” She turned away and walked towards Kuvira and the others. “Those are Guan’s words, not yours.”

While Korra dealt with Asami, Wing and Wei had a word with their mother.

“You want us to restrain Kuvira too?” Wing asked.

“No, leave her be,” Su insisted, “She’s not a flight risk.”

“I hope you’re right, mom,” Wei said.

Kuvira sat quietly, wondering if they remembered she was only a few feet away from them. As she pondered this, the elderly earthbending master approached her.

“So, do you know?” Toph asked.

Kuvira straightened up as she turned to look at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do.”

Kuvira didn’t respond right away, just lowered her head. “… Yeah.”

The rest of the airship turned to them in intrigue. Only Su seemed to be aware of what they were talking about.

“Who else here knows?” Toph asked.

Kuvira still didn’t look up at her. “Just Su.”

“Hm. Well, take it from someone who’s had two children; you only have about a month, month and a half before your bump starts to pop out. After that, you won’t have to _tell_ anyone.”

Time seemed to freeze. Su looked out the window, not meeting anyone’s gaze. The twins and Opal stood, eyes wide as they stared at Kuvira. Korra’s heart sank as she looked to her, her expression a mix of sorrow and understanding.

“Kuvira…” the Avatar trailed off.

Finally, Kuvira lifted her head, just barely meeting Korra in the eye.

“You heard correct, Korra. We’re _both_ about to be mothers.”

\--

It was several, painfully awkward hours before they landed in Zaofu. Su was the first to speak as they exited the airship.

“Boys, take your sister to her room and call the medic,” she said to her sons, still worried about the injury her daughter sustained back in Gaoling.

“I’ll be fine, mom,” Opal insisted.

Su stopped and turned to Kuvira, who herself had stopped and was staring up at the estate.

“I want you to see a doctor too, Kuvira. You haven’t had any prenatal care, and we need to make sure the baby’s healthy.”

Kuvira looked to her. She wondered why that hadn’t crossed her mind before, but nodded none the less.

\--

Kuvira sat in her assigned room, her encounter with Baatar Jr replaying in her head.

_“I_ loved _you, Kuvira. When mother told me you were coming, she mentioned you were trying to change. I didn’t believe her. I had to see for myself. But you’re_ exactly _the same.”_

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Su walk in, an older gentleman coming in behind her, wheeling some kind of monitor.

“Kuvira, this is Dr. Zan,” Su introduced, “He’s the best obstetrician in Zaofu. He delivered every one of my children.”

Kuvira nodded in greeting. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Zan.”

Dr. Zan nodded in return. Su closed the door behind him, standing in the corner as the doctor wheeled his monitor over to Kuvira.

“Let’s start with some basics,” Dr. Zan said, “Do you know how far along you are?”

Kuvira thought for a moment. “Between three and four months.”

“Do you have any medical conditions or are taking any medications that might effect your pregnancy?”

“No.”

“Have you recently been exposed to any environmental hazards that might effect your pregnancy?”

Kuvira was about to give the same answer, until she thought of something. “I was zapped with an electrode belt the first day we were in Gaoling. It knocked me out for a while.”

The doctor’s eyes widened, and out of the corner of her eye, Kuvira could see Su’s expression change from neutral to one of great concern.

“…Okay,” the doctor said, clearly making an effort not to panic anyone, “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. This machine I brought with me uses ultrasonic waves to allow us to see the baby in your womb. Normally, I’d wait until the end of the visit to use it, but I believe we need to check on this baby now. Please lie on your back and lift your shirt.”

Kuvira’s postured stiffened, but she nodded and did what he said. As he squeezed some kind of gel onto her lower abdomen, Kuvira couldn’t help but think of her wish from the previous month. It might have come as a relief then, but now Kuvira’s heart was pounding. What if she inadvertently put her child in danger? What if it was too late to save it?

The doctor began pressing the scanning probe to her abdomen, slowly moving it around as an image appeared on the screen. It was so grainy; she couldn’t make out what she was seeing. Dr. Zan seemed calm, but she couldn’t tell if he was still trying to avoid either her or Su panicking.

Finally, Dr. Zan stilled the probe, finally seeing what he was looking for. There was a large, black blob on the screen, distinct from the sea of gray. Inside the blob, Kuvira could see another gray shape, which quickly settled into a form that almost looked like a baby. She was already holding her breath, when suddenly the almost-baby twitched.

“Alright, so there’s a heartbeat and it’s moving,” the doctor confirmed, “Looks like baby’s in the clear.”

Kuvira breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t noticed Su walk over to her, but she now saw her out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes were also locked onto the screen, her hands clasped over her heart.

“My first grandchild…” she quietly grinned.

Dr. Zan moved the probe slightly downward, the shift in pressure seeming to make the baby twitch again. Kuvira glanced over to the doctor. 

“Am I supposed to feel that?” she asked.

“No, most first-time mothers don’t feel movement at this stage,” he explained, “Based on it’s size, I’d say you’ll start to feel movement in about two to five weeks.”

Kuvira nodded, then quickly turned her head away. It seemed to hit her all at once just how little she knew, both about pregnancy and what she and the baby needed. All this time she thought she knew best, but it seemed every decision she made came at a great detriment. Her reckless decision to attack Guan could’ve cost her the baby. And who knows what future consequences could come from delaying prenatal care? While she _thought_ at the time her actions were for the benefit of her child, she realized now what they truly were; selfish.

_I’m sorry,_ she thought, her eyes locked on the image of her child, _I promise I’ll do better._

\--

“Baatar Jr and Kuvira have been working all day,” Korra said to Asami. It was so strange. Here she sat across from the woman she loved, and yet that woman was so far away. “This nightmare will be over soon.”

She reached out to touch Asami’s hand, but the non-bender pulled away.

“Don’t touch me!” she demanded.

Korra pulled her hand back, a look of heartbreak on her face.

“I’m sorry…” she looked to the side, “I know this isn’t you. And I’m sorry this had to happen. If it weren’t for Guan, we’d be back in Republic City, moving me into your mansion, preparing for our baby –”

Asami cut her off. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t exactly have a magic penis laying around.” She glared at the woman in front of her. “That baby isn’t mine. It never will be.”

Korra just stared at her. Before she could properly react, there was a knock at the door, and Suyin came in.

“Baatar’s ready for her.”

\--

After many hours and even more failed attempts, they finally found the right calibration. Asami’s mind was back. She and Korra embraced in their reunion, but the celebration was short lived. Guan won the election. After informing President Moon of the situation, she ordered for Kuvira to be returned to Republic City. It was time for her to return to her cell.

As Korra and Asami walked out of the room, Kuvira approached Baatar Jr.

“I guess you’re getting your wish. You’ll never have to see me again.”

Baatar glanced at her from over his shoulder.

“Have a safe trip back.”

Kuvira reached out and touched his arm. “It broke my heart when I had to choose the Earth Empire over a life with you. I realize I can never repair our relationship or make up for all the pain I caused you. But I want you to know… I truly did love you too.” She paused. “And I hope you can find it in you to love our child, in spite of me.”

For a moment, Baatar just stared at her. He didn’t want to believe it when his mother first broke the news to him. He still didn’t want to believe it.

“… And you’re certain it’s truly _my_ child?”

Kuvira’s eyes widened, and she removed her hand from his arm. “Of course it’s yours! You’re the only man I ever…”

The room grew silent again. Baatar tore his gaze away from her.

“It was nice working with you again, Kuvira,” he said before walking away, leaving her alone.

\--

“I can’t get over what happened,” Asami said as she stared out the window, “It’s so strange not being able to remember whole days of my life.” She turned to Korra, who was already sitting in bed. “Did I say or do anything I might have regretted?”

Korra’s face fell. She didn’t have to say a word. Asami’s gaze fell to the floor.

“I’m sorry…”

Korra got up and walked over to her. “Whatever you might have said, it doesn’t matter now. I know it wasn’t you talking.”

“Still…”

Korra wrapped her arms around Asami. Asami smiled at her, returning the hug and letting one hand linger on her belly.

“Let’s just put all that behind us, ok?” Korra told her.

\--

Kuvira had escaped. She convinced Guan she wanted to rejoin the Earth Empire under his control, as long as it meant she’d get to raise her child with a “guilt-free conscious.” At least, that’s what she thought. Guan planned for her to double cross him, and had Mako and Bolin ready to attack.

Thankfully, Korra, Su, and the others were already on her trail. They fought Guan. He surrendered. They won.

Once Mako, Bolin, and Wu’s minds were restored, they set about doing the same for all of Gaoling. Korra lost track of how many times Mako asked her if she was sure she and the baby were ok.

“So, I’m guessing you’re heading back to the swamp?” Korra asked Toph, them and the others overseeing the undoing of the brainwashing.

“Yep. And don’t think I’m still gonna run for governor once Gaoling gets its crap together. I prefer the swamp. At least there, the predators are honest about wanting to eat you.” She started to walk away, but paused. “You know, I was serious when I said I could tell you the baby’s gender. I _suppose_ I could still tell you before I fuck off back to the swamp.”

Korra’s eyes widened. She’d honestly forgotten about that. She thought for a moment, before grinning.

“I don’t care about the gender. All that matters to me is that the baby’s healthy.”

Toph nodded, then turned to the other pregnant woman in the group.

“What about you?”

Kuvira’s eyes widened as well. She didn’t expect to get the same offer. “Yes… Yes, I want to know.”

Toph smirked. “Well then, congratulations on your baby girl.”

Kuvira’s heart about skipped a beat. She couldn’t help but smile. “A girl...”

Toph pat her arm as she walked off. “Take care of yourself. That _is_ my great-granddaughter in there.”

\--

The tribunal resumed a few weeks later. By then, Kuvira’s prison attire wasn’t fitting as well, and Korra was also starting to shop for maternity clothes. It seemed their babies also wanted to be present for this.

Kuvira changed her plea; guilty. It was a hard decision, but one she needed to make. She couldn’t let self-preservation cloud her judgement any longer. She had to take responsibility.

“I owe you an apology, Kuvira,” Su said when they met in the hallway.

“What are you talking about?” Kuvira asked.

“I can’t help but think that if I had been a better mentor – a better _mother_ – I could have guided you on a more appropriate path.”

“You took me in when I was a wild, arrogant little girl and cared for me when no one else did. There were so many times over the years when you could have abandoned me, but you never did, not even when I was at my worst. So, you have nothing to apologize for. I’m the one who is sorry I never fully appreciated what an amazing, selfless mother you are.”

Suyin smiled and hugged Kuvira. Had it not been for her chains, Kuvira would’ve hugged back.

“All I can ask is for you to raise my daughter with the same love you showed me,” Kuvira said, after pulling away.

“I won’t need to,” Su grinned, “I spoke with President Moon and the tribunal. Thanks to your show of remorse, and because of your help in ending the Earth Empire and stopping Guan, they have all agreed to release you into my custody. You’ll be allowed to raise your daughter at the estate.”

Kuvira was silent. Had she heard right?

“I’m going… home?”

“Yes. You will be under house arrest, the same as Baatar Jr. _But_ if you even think about trying to escape again, you’ll be thrown right into the maximum-security prison.”

Kuvira grinned. She couldn’t believe it. She wouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life in a cell. She wouldn’t have to give birth in chains and say a painful goodbye to her daughter. She would get to raise her. She would get to be a mother.

“Understood.”


	4. Kasumi Sato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra goes into labor.

It was late in the morning – Asami already left for work hours ago – but Korra was still in bed, trying to sleep. Being nine months pregnant, getting comfortable enough to fall asleep was a difficult task, and staying asleep wasn’t much easier. Whether it was the baby kicking, an urgent need for the bathroom, or the various other aches and pains that came with being so heavily pregnant, a good night’s sleep was already becoming a rarity.

With more difficulty than she would’ve liked, Korra rolled over onto her left side. A sudden series of kicks caused her to groan, and she gently rubbed the spot she felt the kicks.

_Please just let mommy sleep another hour or two._

After a moment, the little kicks began to slow, and eventually stop. Korra signed in relief and pulled the blankets up closer.

As soon as she started to drift off, Korra felt something that nearly made her eyes snap open; a light trickling between her legs. Desperate for more sleep, she tried to talk herself down.

_It’s not what you think. You’re just peeing. You can sleep a little longer._

Almost as soon as the thought crossed her mind, the trickling turned into a gush. When it wouldn’t stop, Korra reluctantly sat up, groaning.

_Damn it._

Fluid still running down her legs, she pulled herself out of bed. Still a bit groggy, she walked the few feet to the phone, dialing the direct line to her girlfriend’s office.

“Future Industries, Asami Sato’s office. This is Asami speaking.”

“Hey sweetie, it’s me.”

“Korra? You’re awake already?”

“Yeah, uh, about that… my water just broke.”

There was a good few seconds of silence before Asami replied. “What? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, pretty sure.”

“Ok… Ok, do you want me to call Mako?”

“Yeah, that’d be great. Just tell him to meet us at the mansion.”

“Alright. I’ll be home very soon. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Korra hung up the phone. She looked to the wet spot on the bed, then down at her wet pajama pants. Stripping her clothes off, she went to the room’s attached bathroom to get her robe and a towel to put between her legs. She then stripped the bedding, bending the amniotic fluid out of the mattress, and took the damp sheets and pajamas down to the laundry room.

After the servants insisted on taking everything from her, Korra began to make her way back to the bedroom. Just as the door was in sight, she heard frantic footsteps heading towards her. She turned her head, seeing both Mako and Asami half-running down the hall.

“Well, that was fast,” Korra noted as the two of them stopped in front of her, “How many traffic laws did you break getting here?”

“Are you ready to go?” Asami asked, more concerned with getting Korra to the hospital than answering the question, “The bag’s still packed in the closet. I’ll grab it, and we’ll get going.”

“Uh… I’m not wearing pants.”

“So put some pants on and let’s go!” A thought occurred to her. “What were you doing, anyway?”

“Taking the laundry down. I was in bed when my water broke, and it kinda made a mess.”

Asami blinked. She and Mako spared a quick glance at each other. “You… Korra, we have staff for that! You’re going into labor!”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Ok, so get dressed and let’s get going!” Mako finally chimed in.

“Actually, I kinda wanna shower first. I also haven’t had breakfast yet, so…”

Wondering if they heard correct, Asami and Mako stared at her. Neither could believe how nonchalant she was acting.

“Korra… you’re in labor, and you want to stop for _breakfast?”_ Asami asked, her disbelief clear in her voice.

“Well, I’m hungry.” She took note of the frantic looks on their faces. As much as she didn’t want them to worry, she was still much more familiar with this than they were. “Look, when I used to help Katara with deliveries back home, it was almost always the first-time moms who took the longest. I haven’t even had any contractions yet. We have time, trust me.”

Mako and Asami looked to each other. As much as they trusted her word, they still felt knots of anxiety twisting in their chests. Korra may have her second-hand experience, but this was still a first for them. All they had to go by were the books they read, which more or less boiled down to “when the water breaks, go to the hospital.”

Using their silence to her advantage, Korra went into the bedroom, heading directly for the shower. For a half hour, Mako and Asami anxiously paced outside the bedroom door, not saying much but communicating plenty through their facial expression. Finally, Korra came out, fully dressed and with the hospital bag over her shoulder. For a mere moment, they were relieved that she decided it was time to go to the hospital.

“Can one of you take this?” she asked, holding out the bag, “I don’t want to carry it all the way to the kitchen.”

With that, the short-lived relief was extinguished. Mako took the bag, and they followed her downstairs, where she piled a plate with bacon and eggs, and a breakfast pastry on the side. They sat with her in the dining room as she ate, both barely able to keep still.

As Korra took a bite of her pastry, her breath suddenly hitched. Her face notably contorted into an expression of pain, and her body stiffed as she hunched over. Seeing this, both her girlfriend and ex’s eyes widened.

“Are you having a contraction?!” Mako asked.

Korra looked up at him, her mouth still full of food. “… Don’t worry about it,” she insisted, despite the discomfort in her voice.

Asami and Mako looked at each other, both with expressions of _“Is she serious? She can’t possibly be serious.”_

“Don’t wor– Korra, you’re in _labor!_ ” Asami reminded her.

“We need to get to the hospital!” Mako added, his tone sounding more like a beg.

Korra let out a long exhale as the contraction ended. She swallowed her food and sat up straight. “Guys, I promise you we have time. This is only my third contraction. Just let me eat, I’m starving.”

The anxious pair blinked, their eyes wide with shock.

“Thir– you’ve had other contractions!?” Asami frantically asked.

“I mean, they didn’t hurt as much, but yeah. I had one while I was in the shower, and one when I was getting dressed.”

“And you didn’t tell us!?” Mako asked, his hands flying up in the air.

Korra swallowed another bite of her pastry. She didn’t really have an answer for why she didn’t tell them that.

“Ok, look, just let me finish eating, and we’ll go right to the hospital. Ok?”

“You promise?” Mako asked.

Korra nodded. She was still sure there was no need to rush, but she also didn’t want to give them an aneurism.

“Promise.” 

Once she finished eating, Korra kept her word, and they headed to the hospital. Upon arriving, they were quickly shown to a room, and Korra changed into a hospital gown. Dr. Yuzuki came in shortly after, greeting the parents to be before asking Korra to lay on her back.

“You’re at about five centimeters dilated,” she said, after checking her, “Still have about halfway to go, but you’re defiantly progressing.”

Korra glanced at her companions. She thought about reminding them about what she said about them still having time, but decided against it.

\--

“Hee hee, hoo,” Mako reminded her as another contraction hit, “Remember, hee hee, h–”

“Mako, _shut up,_ ” Korra demanded.

Anxiety further rising in his chest, Mako did as she said and didn’t say another word. Continuing with her breathing, Korra admittedly felt a little bad for snapping at him. She knew he meant well, but _spirits_ were her patience thin. She wished Asami would get back from the bathroom already.

It had been a good three and a half hours since they arrived at the hospital. Korra’s contractions were growing in intensity and lessening in time in between. On the flip side, her labor coaches had severely underestimated how difficult it would be seeing her in pain. While they both did their best to comfort her, Mako’s inner panic was doing a bit of disservice.

Korra’s posture relaxed as the contraction came to an end. She leaned back against the pillows, and Mako handed her a cup of ice chips. She groaned in thanks as she took the cup from him, but almost as soon as it touched her lips, her brow furrowed and she grabbed Mako by the shirt, pulling him down to her eye level.

“These ice chips _suck,_ ” she said in a low, angry voice, “Get me better ones.”

She let go of his shirt, allowing him to stand upright. Still not saying a word, he took the cup and left the room. Almost as soon as he did, Asami walked back in.

“What’d you do to him?” she asked, having gotten a good look at Mako’s face.

Korra’s groaned. “He’s pissing me off.”

Asami walked over to her bedside. While waiting for Mako’s return, Korra had another contraction. Much to her appreciation, Asami held her hand and only spoke the occasional “That’s it,” and “You’re doing great.”

Korra breathed a sigh of relieve once the contraction was over. Still holding her girlfriend’s hand, she looked up at her.

“Asami, I want drugs.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. They had discussed pain management many times as Korra’s due date drew closer, and though she was open to all options, Asami knew her girlfriend wanted to at least try the natural route.

“Yeah, this sucks,” Korra said, her voice weary, “Drugs, please.”

The engineer nodded and let go of her hand. As she walked out of the room, Mako returned with what he hoped were better ice chips.

“Where’s she going now?” he asked.

“To get me drugs.”

Mako nodded as he handed her the cup. Much to his relief, these seemed to be of better quality. 

A moment later, Asami returned with a nurse in tow. The woman had with her a small tank, with a face mask attached to it by a hose. After giving a brief demonstration on how to use it, she handed it to Korra.

Just as the nurse left, Korra felt another contraction coming. Putting the mask to her face, she took some deep breaths. The gas didn’t make her feel the pain less, which she knew it wouldn’t, but she very quickly began to care less about it.

In fact, she felt good. _Really_ good. With the mask still at her face, she looked over at Asami. “Do I look like a moose-lion?”

“Uh…” she glanced to the side. She knew the gas might make her get a bit silly, but she still wasn’t expecting that. “… no?”

Korra frowned. “Damn it.”

When the contraction ended, Korra put the mask down. In just a few moments, the effects of the gas wore off, and she was back to her normal self.

“I should’ve asked for this an hour ago.”

\--

A bright surgical light illuminated the entire bed. Situated in a semi-seated position, Korra grunted as she gave another push. Asami was at her side, holding her hand, while Mako helped the nurses hold her legs back.

“You’re doing so great, sweetie,” Asami assured her.

Mako nodded in confirmation. “I can see the head.”

Korra let out another grunt as her head fell back against the pillows. She fought the urge to ask for the nitrous oxide mask. As much as it helped with the pain, she wanted to have a completely clear head for this.

Feeling the twinges of another contraction, Korra started pushing again. She quickly felt an intense burning – the infamous “ring of fire.” The baby was fully crowing. Her grip on Asami’s hand tightened, and a cry of pain escaped her lips.

“It’s ok, it’s ok,” Asami said as she rubbed her back, “Just a few more and the worst will be over.”

Korra gasped for air as she leaned back again. Her eyes squeezed shut, she gave another push. She couldn’t say where she continued to draw the strength from. Each push took so much of her energy, yet she kept going.

Moments passed. How many, Korra couldn’t say for sure. Suddenly, many voices began to tell her “just one more!” Sure enough, after one final push, a loud cry filled the room.

“It’s a girl!” Mako half-screamed, his voice full of pure joy.

Korra barely had a chance to open her eyes before Dr. Yuzuki placed the baby on her chest. The tiny thing continued to scream as Korra took in every detail of her. Her head was cone-shaped from her trip through the birth canal, and her skin was wrinkly and covered in blood and patches of the white cheese-like substance that protected her skin in the womb. Even still, she was the most beautiful thing Korra had ever seen.

“Hi,” Korra said, tired and out of breath, “Hi there.”

It felt too soon when the nurses took her off her chest. Korra looked to Mako and Asami, whose eyes were still locked on the baby as the she was taken to the other side of the room.

“Go with her,” she insisted.

The two felt reluctant to leave Korra, but still they did as she said. They stood by the tiny table as the nurses cleaned the baby and took her measurements.

“She has your eyes,” Asami grinned, lightly nudging the firebender.

Mako grinned as well. She did in fact have his gold eyes, as well as his black hair. Her skin was harder to tell, as it was still discolored from the birth, but it seemed like it would eventually fall somewhere in between Korra and Mako’s.

“She’s so beautiful,” Asami breathed. Wondering why he hadn’t said anything, she looked over at Mako. She nearly did a double take as she saw his face. “Are you crying?”

Mako turned towards her. “You’re crying too.”

It took a moment, but Asami realized he was right. As she wiped her eyes, the nurses swaddled the baby in a pink blanket. One of them picked her up, but her eyes quickly began to dart between Mako and Asami.

“Which one of you…”

Feeling a twinge of anxiety, Asami quickly nudged Mako. Though a smile was still clear on her face, there were traces of nerves in her voice. “You should hold her first.”

His eyes locked on the baby, Mako took her from the nurse. As he and Asami walked her back over to Korra, he still found himself unable to take his eyes off her. She was so perfect. It felt surreal, knowing he was now a father. He thought back to his own father and mother, how they were taken from at such a young age. This little girl would never know the struggles he faced; he’d make sure of that. She’ll grow up safe, loved, and cared for, no matter what.

Korra grinned as she took the baby from him. Having already undid her gown’s shoulder straps, she held the baby to her bare breast, and started nursing her. 

“Do we have a name picked out?” Dr. Yuzuki asked.

“We do,” Korra said. She thought back to the months before, and the three weeks they spent debating and bickering, before they finally settled on the names they all liked. “It’s Kasumi. Kasumi Sato.”

The doctor smiled and nodded. “That’s a beautiful name.”

The three parents grinned before turning their attention back to Kasumi. Korra held the baby’s tiny hand, gently grazing her thumb against her soft skin. Part of her still couldn’t believe this was real. The day she was told she couldn’t have children was one of the worst of her life – a pile of salt added to a still fresh wound. Now here she was, holding her newborn. The chances of Kasumi existing were so slim, it felt like nothing short of a miracle.

About a half hour later, Kasumi decided she was done nursing. As Korra covered herself up, she looked up at Asami.

“It’s your turn to hold her.”

Asami smiled, but her stomach suddenly knotted. A thousand worries went through her head – _What if I drop her? What if I don’t do it right?_ – but she took her none the less. The second Kasumi was in her arms, her nerves just melted away, replaced with a maternal pull tugging at her heartstrings. Despite her lack of experience, holding Kasumi felt so natural. Korra was right, it _was_ different when it was your baby.

“She’s so beautiful,” Asami said again.

“She’s perfect,” Korra said, reaching up to brush Kasumi’s cheek.

Still too choked up to speak, Mako put a hand on Korra’s shoulder. He cared so much for her already, but now he was even more grateful for her, giving him his first child.

Kasumi yawned and let out a tiny squeak. All three parents felt a tug in their hearts, already smitten by the tiny baby. None of them could’ve predicted this would be how they had their first child, but it didn’t matter. They loved Kasumi. They were her parents. Nothing could ever change that.


	5. Mei-Lien Beifong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuvira goes into labor.

The sound of metal clanking echoed through Zaofu as the domes closed for the night. Kuvira turned off the faucet just as the sound stopped, reaching for a towel to dry her hands and face. Despite it still being somewhat early, she was eager to go to bed. As she’d learned over the months, pregnancy was surprisingly tiring, especially now that she was in her nineth month. In addition, she figured she should enjoy the uninterrupted sleep while she still could. Once the baby arrived, there would be a long string of sleepless nights ahead of her.

As she put the towel back, a dull pain began to radiate through the lower half of her swollen abdomen. Leaning forward against the countertop, she took in a long, deep breath. The pains had been coming on and off for a few days – coincidentally, starting on the day she got word that Korra had had her baby – so while she’d grown somewhat used to them, they were still unpleasant. Whether these pains were false labor or the early stages of true labor, Kuvira couldn’t say. It was frustrating not knowing. Despite Su’s assurance that she’d know when it was the real thing, she wished her daughter would be more direct about whether she was coming or not.

After a minute, the pain began to subside. Kuvira let out a sigh of relief as she stood up straight, before walking out of the bathroom. Once she reached her room, she turned off the lights and got into bed. Regardless of whether tonight was the night, it would do her good to get some sleep.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many hours had passed when she awoke. It clearly wasn’t morning yet, judging by the darkness. She rolled over, attempting to go back to sleep, but it quickly became clear that more sleep wasn’t in the cards for her. An intense pain rippled through her lower abdomen, causing all remnants of tiredness to leave her. Her breath hitched, and her fists desperately grasped the blankets. As soon as she could fully comprehend the situation, only one thought went through her head; _This is it. She’s coming!_

Like before, the pain only lasted about a minute. Letting out a long exhale as the contracted ended, she threw the blankets to the side and pulled herself to her feet. She left her room and began her walk down the hall, heading straight for the master bedroom.

As she expected, the married couple were fast asleep when she got to their room. She almost felt bad having to wake them so late, but she didn’t exactly have a choice. Walking over to the bed, she nudged the metalbender’s shoulder as she tried to wake her.

“Su,” Kuvira said, quietly.

Still not quite awake, Suyin groaned as she reluctantly peered her eyes open. Seeing Kuvira’s face, she snapped awake instantly, and began to nudge her husband.

“Dear, wake up!” she said, already getting out of bed, “Call the doctor, Kuvira’s having the baby!”

The elder Baatar shot out of bed as quickly as his wife. Grabbing her robe, Su placed a hand on Kuvira’s shoulder and led her back to her room.

Kuvira sat down on her bed as Su turned on the lights. Almost as soon as she did, Kuvira felt the twinges of another contraction.

“ _Su_ ,” Kuvira half-grunted.

The older woman turned around and quickly went to her side. “Remember what we practiced,” she said, taking hold of her hand, “Slow, deep breath in through the nose.” She paused as Kuvira did as she was instructed. “Now a slow, deep breath out through the mouth… Relax your shoulders… A little faster now. Deep breath in… Deep breath out…”

They continued with this until the contraction ended. Kuvira breathed a sigh of relief, and Su gently rubbed her back.

“That was great, Kuvira.”

About a half hour later, there was a knock at the bedroom door. Dr. Zan came in, carrying his doctor bag, as well as wheeling in a cart of additional equipment. He nodded at the two women in greeting.

“Hello. How are we doing, Kuvira?” he asked.

Kuvira grunted. “I’m having a baby,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Dr. Zan chuckled. “Well, yes. Has your water broken, or your mucus plug passed?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Alright, then.” He opened his bag and began putting on gloves. “I’m going to need you to remove your bottoms and lay on your back. I need to check your dilation.”

Kuvira hesitated. Su and Dr. Zan looked away, giving her some privacy as she did as she was told. Dr. Zan then approached her, and she suppressed a shutter as he checked her.

“Hm… not quite six centimeters. About five and a half.” He stood up and took of his gloves. “Still have a little ways to go, but not too much.”

Kuvira nodded. She pulled her nightshirt down as much as she could before Su turned back around.

“Let’s try walking a little,” she suggested, grabbing Kuvira’s robe, “It’ll help you progress.”

Kuvira nodded again, taking her robe, and putting it on. She stood up out of bed, and Su wrapped an arm around her as they paced the room.

\--

The sun was high in the sky over Zaofu. Baatar Jr sat in his workroom, twisting bolts and screws on whatever chunks of machinery were on his desk. He’d sat there, “tinkering,” for several hours now. His father had been the one to wake him, informing him that Kuvira was in labor. Baatar had tried to go back to sleep after that but found himself too restless. Instead, he headed to the workroom, thankfully located on the other side of the estate. His mind was a million miles away, yet painfully present at the same time. He didn’t even know if what he was “tinkering” with was important or not. Reality felt like a dream, or, more accurately, a nightmare.

A light knock suddenly came from behind him. Reluctantly, Baatar turned his head, seeing his father in the doorway.

“Kuvira’s almost ready. The baby will be here soon.”

The younger Baatar didn’t respond, just turned back around. He hoped his father would get the hint, but unfortunately for him, the older man wouldn’t leave. 

“Son, _please,_ ” his father pleaded, “This is the birth of your child. You’ll never get this moment back. If you’re not there, you’ll regret it.”

Once again, Baatar didn’t respond. He wished this “moment” would just be over already.

\--

Kuvira let out a cry of pain as she squeezed Su’s hand. With her free hand, the older woman stroked Kuvira’s hair.

“You’re doing great, Kuvira. Just keep pushing.”

Kuvira inhaled sharply before pushing again, and subsequently falling back against the pillows. Her hair stuck to her face from the sweat, and she struggled to catch her breath between pushes. She longed to verbalize just how much she hated this, but the pain was clouding her mind too much to speak.

Another contraction started, and she was instructed to push again. The pain was so intense, the worst she’d ever felt, and Kuvira cried out again. She vaguely heard something about “crowning” before falling back again.

Time ticked by slowly. Far, _far_ too slowly. As far as Kuvira knew, it could’ve been an hour, or it could’ve been five minutes. Finally, the words “one more” registered in her mind, and after one last push, a screeching cry pierced the air, followed by an obligatory – yet in this case, unnecessary – “It’s a girl!” from Dr. Zan.

The baby’s cry ringing in her ears, Kuvira lifted her head. In that same moment, the baby girl was placed on her chest. Kuvira’s eyes widened as she tried to catch her breath. By all accounts, she was very gross in appearance, but even still, in Kuvira’s eyes she was beautiful. She was so, so beautiful. Her eyes matched Kuvira’s in their fern green color, and her black hair, though damp with blood and amniotic fluid, was obviously the same curly texture as Suyin’s. Her skin looked to be on the lighter side, but that could very well change over time.

Staring into her daughter’s eyes, Kuvira felt a wave of different emotions crash over her all at once: relief, elation, fear, and love. Relief that the hours of labor were finally over. Elation that the baby she waited all these months for was finally here. Fear of the future – would she be a good mother? Was she making the right choice to keep her, considering her indefinite house arrest? The love, though, the feeling of love trumped all. Perhaps it was a cliché, but the love she felt for her was instantaneous, truly the definition of love at first sight. Nothing, absolutely nothing this child could do would make her not love her. And she would see to it that her daughter knew that, that no matter what, she would always have her mother’s love.

A hand touched Kuvira’s shoulder, bringing her out of her thoughts. Reluctantly taking her eyes off her daughter, she looked up to see Su smiling and whipping tears from her eyes.

“What’s her name?”

Kuvira grinned as she looked back to her daughter, holding the baby’s tiny hand in her own. “Mei-Lien.”

Su wiped away more tears and placed a hand over her heart. “Oh, that’s beautiful.”

\--

How many hours passed since his father last came knocking at the door, Baatar couldn’t say. He hadn’t moved even an inch, still sat at the desk, “tinkering.” 

Suddenly, another knock came from behind him, forcing him out of the secluding depts he’d made for himself in his mind.

“Son?” his mother’s voice beckoned him.

Against his better judgement, Baatar looked over his shoulder. Seeing the bundle in his mother’s arms, he quickly turned back around, trying to appear busy.

Su sighed. “I know this has been difficult for you. And I know you’re still in pain. But this is you’re daughter, Baatar. _She_ is your _daughter.”_

He still didn’t respond. His hands trembled as he continued to “tinker.” Not taking his silence for an answer, Su walked over to him. With his mother now at his side, he quickly turned his head in the opposite direction.

“Just hold her. Just _once,_ ” Su pleaded, “If you still want nothing to do with her, I’ll never bring it up again. Just hold her _once_ … please, Baatar.” 

Baatar hesitated. “You’ll never bring it up again?”

Su nodded. “I won’t.”

Seconds ticked by, perhaps even minutes. Reluctantly, Baatar turned towards his mother, though he didn’t meet her eye or look at the baby. He held out his arms, and Su grinned as she handed him the baby.

Baatar closed his eyes. He needed a minute to build up the courage. When his eyes finally opened – when he finally looked down at the baby – something unexpected happened; he found himself unable to look away. Eyes widening, he was quiet as he studied her features. There was some of Kuvira there, of course, but also him. He saw himself, his mother, and even his grandmother in her face. It was… freeing.

Without realizing it, Baatar smiled. “She’s definitely a Beifong,” he said, the tension in his body seeming to melt away.

Su smiled as well. “Her name’s Mei-Lien. Mei-Lien Beifong.”

As if in confirmation, Mei-Lien let out a gurgling noise. Baatar couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Mei-Lien… I like that.” His eyes stayed glued to her. He never wanted to look away. “Welcome to the world, Mei-Lien.”


End file.
